When,
if ever, have you seen a news poll or survey in a newspaper or on
television describing how African-Americans feel about illegal immigration,
amnesty or guest worker programs? I suspect the answer is never. Well,
one group of African-American leaders is letting our lawmakers on
both sides of the aisle know exactly how blacks feel about the current
Senate immigration bill that passed on Thursday.

As
US lawmakers, with the backing of President Bush, rush to pass a bill
that grants amnesty to tens of millions of illegal aliens and opens
the doors to millions more "guest workers," a new coalition of African-American
leaders is calling the proposal a "disaster for all Americans that
will hit black citizens the hardest."

The
newly formed coalition of business, academic and community leaders,
known as Choose Black America, held their inaugural press conference
at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, May 23,
to express the concerns of the vast majority of American blacks who
believe that amnesty for illegal aliens would be devastating to their
communities.

Choose
Black America officials believe that black Americans have already
been severely damaged by decades of uncontrolled illegal immigration
and stand to lose even more if 12 million or more illegal aliens are
granted amnesty. The coalition was also formed in response to the
failure of black elected officials to represent the interests of African-Americans.

"Mass
illegal immigration has been a major impediment to black advancement
in this country over the past 25 years," declared Dr. Frank Morris
Sr., chairman of Choose Black America

"All
Americans are harmed by rampant illegal immigration, but it is blacks,
in particular, who have lost economic opportunities, watched their
kids' schools flood with non-English speaking students, and felt the
direct impact in countless ways. Our government has failed us, our
elected officials have failed us, and now they are prepared to compound
the damage with an amnesty and guest worker program that will set
black Americans back a hundred years."

Choose
Black America is calling on the Senate to enact an immigration enforcement
bill that does not include amnesty for those here illegally and which
does not flood the American labor market with guest workers who in
reality will become permanent residents of this country.

The
group also seeks to make it clear that black members of Congress who
are backing amnesty for illegal aliens do not represent the views
and interests of their constituents back home.

"Black
politicians in this country are quick to point out that African-Americans
-- especially young black men -- are far more likely to be unemployed,
to live in poverty, lack access to basic health care, and to attend
dysfunctional schools than the rest of the population," Morris observed.

"The
politicians use these realities to demand new government programs
paid for with money the government is borrowing, when the most effective
black empowerment program would be enforcement of our immigration
laws.

The
group contends that a comprehensive strategy to enforce our nation's
immigration laws would do more to improve conditions for American
blacks than all the anti-poverty programs Washington can dream up.

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"An
illegal alien amnesty would not only reward tens of millions of lawbreakers,
but would result in tens of millions, perhaps even a hundred million,
new mostly low-wage workers and their families entering this country
over the next 20 years," said Morris. "The first to lose from such
a program would be African Americans, but, ultimately, all Americans
who work for a living would suffer a devastating blow."

Jim Kouri, CPP
is currently fifth vice-president of the National Association of Chiefs
of Police. He's former chief at a New York City housing project in Washington
Heights nicknamed "Crack City" by reporters covering the drug war in the
1980s. He's also served on the National Drug Task Force and trained police
and security officers throughout the country.

He writes for
many police and crime magazines including Chief of Police, Police Times,
The Narc Officer, Campus Law Enforcement Journal, and others. He's appeared
as on-air commentator for over 100 TV and radio news and talk shows including
Oprah, McLaughlin Report, CNN Headline News, MTV, Fox News, etc. His book
Assume The Position is available at Amazon.Com, Booksamillion.com, and
can be ordered at local bookstores.

Border
Patrol agents point out the illegal immigration problem is a simple issue
to solve: Shut the border down to illegal aliens crossing into the US,
then begin "hammering" the greedy employers who hire them.